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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26728966">The Strange Phenomenon of Dreaming.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/atenism/pseuds/atenism'>atenism</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Prince of Egypt (1998)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ancient Egyptian Religion - Freeform, Friends to Lovers, Historical References, Internal Conflict, M/M, Mutual Pining, Religious Content</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 09:20:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,757</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26728966</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/atenism/pseuds/atenism</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There's a major difference between what one dreams and what one experiences. Although the mind can play tricks on an individual and provide the excellence of feeling inside of a dream, reality is always just an eyelid away. However, sometimes dreams and reality can intertwine.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hotep &amp; Huy (Prince of Egypt), Hotep/Huy (Prince of Egypt)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Strange Phenomenon of Dreaming.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been six long nights for the priest. He didn’t have trouble sleeping, his issue was his fear of dreaming. A twisted week has nearly passed and every time his eyelids began to fall, he braced himself. Dreaming is a strange phenomenon. The brain takes control over the body and places the individual in an alternate universe. vivid imagery, familiar faces, familiar places, but no control. Hotep is a man of power, he’s a natural-born leader. He takes control in situations and does not hesitate to blather on about his intellect. However, dreaming is different. Hotep has no control over his body, his words, his actions, or who he encounters. </p><p>He slowly felt his eyelids get heavier before drifting off into an empty space. Dreaming is more magical than strange. Hotep understands this, his life is devoted to the art of magic and religion. However, some things remain unexplained. He’s attempted to stay awake for the past few nights, but fell weak and eventually drifted off. As his mind wandered into its own forbidden world, he found himself in his home, not awake, but at home. At home with him - with Huy. Although this was a scenario set up by the confusing feelings he kept in his mind, he could physically feel the presence of Huy beside to him, in his arms. The warm feeling that fills Hotep's stomach is overpowering but it makes him feel the happiest he’s ever been. Sitting there, alone with Huy, caught up in the presence of each other. Huy's lips playfully pressing against Hotep's face, hand in hand, it’s too good. </p><p>He woke up in a sweat. It wasn’t a cold sweat, he was quite warm… A bit too warm for his liking. His head was hot and his face was flustered. six long nights. </p><p>“Idiot.” He hit himself on the side of the head before slowly dragging himself out of bed. </p><p>Hotep held a great amount of power in Egypt. The Amun priesthood was in the midst of regaining its denied power during the reign of Seti's predecessors. His job was hard, it was long, it was tiring. He’d been in and out of the royal court since the mid-years of Horemheb. He knew the ups and downs of the palace, the secrets of the royal family, and the dos and don’ts of the elite. He was very respected, most likely the most respected official in all of Egypt during that period, but his work came at a cost. Every day he’s with Huy. Everywhere he goes, Huy is with him. The only time they are apart is when they separate to go home when the sun hits the eastern horizon. But even then, Hotep closes his eyes and gets dropped into a new scenario with Huy each night. He’s never away from him, but even then, he doesn’t know what he would do without the constant smile on Huy’s face, the sheer excitement he shows at the tiniest anomalies, his constant energetic blabbering, his-</p><p>“Good morning!”</p><p>Before Hotep's thoughts could process, he felt a familiar touch on his shoulder. Huy’s enthusiastic voice echoed in his head and without a second thought, he quickly brushed his hand off his shoulder out of panic. Even the slightest touch of Huy’s hand was enough to put Hotep in a position of his mind coming up with numerous complicated thoughts. </p><p>“Good is an overstatement” he mumbled without looking at the taller man. Huy sighed but couldn’t help the corner of his mouth perking up at the typical pessimism of the smaller priest as the two made their way to the temple. </p><p>Their days were repetitive. They tended to the temple 3 times a day, presenting offerings, bathing the statue, and locking up the sanctuary. Outside of temple rituals, they made their way to the Theban palace, tending to the requests of Seti and the royal family. It wasn’t exciting, but the company they provided each other was enough to make an uneventful day slightly more enjoyable. As each day continued, Hotep's mind continued to wander as Huy’s cluster of words left his lips. All he wanted to do at that moment was grab his shirt and kiss him sweetly. Oh, the thought of it. the thought that plagued his mind and plunged him into an endless void of lust. Is it wrong? No. But it feels wrong. The aching pain in his heart made it feel like his purpose was to rid himself of the feelings he had. He has not done wrong, so why are the gods punishing him? The feeling of Huy’s presence next to him felt like home, but Hotep felt like he couldn’t reach him. So close, yet so far. All he wants is to be with him. </p><p>“Hey, what do you think?” Huy questioned, looking down at him. </p><p>He wasn’t listening. The sheer sight of the slim man looking down at him made his stomach twist and twirl. The shimmer in his eyes, the glossiness of his lips - he felt like he was being mocked, mocked with what he cannot have. Is it selfish? Maybe. But no god could compete with the way Huy made Hotep feel. Huy's in arms reach, but there was no way of fulfilling his needs. The world felt cruel, too cruel. </p><p>“Huy..” </p><p>“Mhm?”</p><p>He froze, forgetting what he was about to say next. Huy didn’t speak either. three long seconds of staring, longing, wondering, but these measly three seconds felt like a lifetime. The eager expression on Huy’s face staring back at him felt like a dream. He didn’t want to break contact, it felt so intimate, so warm, so… loving. </p><p>“… Nothing, never mind,” Hotep grumbled, snapping back to what they were doing, attempting to cover the redness of his face. Is he that stupid? the embarrassment he felt in that moment heated up his cheeks. </p><p>Huy let out a breathy giggle, playfully nudging Hotep as he also returned to their duties.</p><p>“You’re an idiot.” </p><p>His voice was so soft and delicate. Regardless of mutuality or not, Hotep felt safe. At that moment, he knew his feelings were greater than he first thought. Greater than before, greater than ever. Hotep had never been the kind of man to lose control over his emotions, but this was so different. Holding back the temptations to hold him, kiss him, love him - it was all too to handle. </p><p>As Ra's cycle began to reach its daily end, the two priests made their way to their homes together. The two lived in close parameters and walking home together was a daily routine. However, this time was different. They were silent, not a word escaped either of them. Huy seemed to be off in space- lost in thought. The sun was setting in front of them as the stars began to light up the desert sky, and Huy seemed mesmerised. It wasn't new, they were in their early 40's, they saw it every night, but Huy is easy to please. His neck bent back as he tilted his head to the sky and smiled. Hotep watched him as they walked and felt his face begin to burn again. His eyes were shining brighter than the stars and the excited movement of his hands made Hotep melt. Sure, the stars were spectacular, but nothing could compare to the way Huy sparkled. </p><p>By Ra, he was in love. </p><p>They kept walking side by side, with Hotep holding back the urge to grab hold of Huy's hand, just to feel the softness of his skin on his, before Huy stopped in his path before Hotep could act upon his conflicts. </p><p>"Say, did you hear what I said earlier?" Huy asked. The tone in his voice was quieter but still soft. He still had that soft smile across his face.</p><p>"... No, sorry. I was caught up. My head's been kind of... I don't know, full recently..." He didn't want to admit it, not even to himself, but the tone in Huy's voice made him want to go insane. He struggled to explain his situation but the look on Huy's face went saw through him. </p><p>Huy smiled at his response and lightly giggled, starting to make his way to Hotep who was slightly in front of him. Hotep felt his heart begin to race and felt his body tense up. Why now? Nothing was happening. The sun had fully set and the moon was rising on the western horizon behind the tens of brightly painted mudbrick houses they had passed. The only light that Hotep was able to make out was the blinding light of Khonsu and his army, the stars. Huy stood next to him, hands on hips and still staring at Nut and her beauty. </p><p>"Come home with me, yeah?"</p><p>Hotep felt his entire body freeze up. There was no hesitation in that question, no second thought, no stumbling on his words, a clean sentence. A request, no, a demand. No maybes or options. His head began to feel light as he looked up at the taller priest, still staring at the stars. He looked absolutely gorgeous, but the thought of going home with him- what would that entail? The sheer thought of being home alone with him at night put his mind into that empty void again, that lustful void. </p><p>"You- Wait, what?" </p><p>"How about it? Mm?" He responded with a smile and kept walking, leaving no time for an answer. </p><p>He wanted to blurt out yes, this felt like a dream, but the situation most likely isn't what he's expecting. However, there's still the chance that... Maybe...</p><p>Huy stopped again and looked back at Hotep standing in the middle of the pathway, tensed up. He laughed once more and walked over to him, grabbing his arms and pulling him as he walked.</p><p>"You're so slow for such a hotheaded idiot, you know that, right?" Hotep didn't respond, he just let the weight of Huy drag him by the arm. His hand felt so soft on his skin and he wanted more than that. So much more. The stars moved across the deepness of the Egyptian sky as they made their way. The moon on their tail, protecting them. The smile on Huy's face, his hand on his arm, the thought of being alone with him... It felt like a dream. Dreams are unexplainable, but this particular situation made the phenomenon of dreaming make a little more sense. The opportunity of mutual physical touch was just sheer moments away.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>- Khonsu is the god of the moon<br/>- Ra is the god of the sun and patron god of Heliopolis<br/>- Nut is the goddess of the sky and is associated with the night sky and stars<br/>- The Amun priesthood got denied its power during the reign of Akhenaten and began to regain its power during Tut, Aye, Horemheb, Ramesses I, and Seti I, before Ramesses II began promoting other cults.<br/>- Horemheb reigned for 30 years, Ramesses I reigned for 16 months, Seti I reigned for 14 years</p><p>hoteps subtle struggle with the ties between religion and same-sex feelings is me projecting my trauma onto him tbh lmaoooooooo...... thats gonna happen a lot</p></blockquote></div></div>
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